The mayor of Vitoria, Javier Maroto, has declared that it is "as true as can be" that groups like Moroccans and Algerians "live on benefits" that "all" citizens pay for, and has insisted that he "wants this to change".

In declarations to Radio Euskadi, which Europa Press has seen, Maroto emphasised that he has never "had so much support in the streets" as since he made the controversial declarations in which he said that Moroccans and Algerians "live on benefits and don't want to work".

For that reason, he has reiterated that "a majority of some groups of Moroccans and Algerians live in our land especially for the benefits that we all pay for".

"I know it's not politically correct but because it's as true as can be, I'm saying it because I want it to change and improve. I can assure you that I've never had as much support in the street as in these last few weeks," he continued.